Burn
by MaidMikuruChan
Summary: "You are on a reality show, I get it! But can't you at least act normal while we're on down time?" "..." "You're just faking it so you can get on TV and convince everyone to let you win because you will donate the winnings to 'Mother Nature'." "I know you don't mean that..." beetleshipping -


burn.

* * *

"_Goooooooooooooooood mornin', campers!" _Chris's voice boomed throughout the mutated and sickly, lime green forest. "_Today, we will give you the day to relax"—_a chuckle interrupted his announcement_—"but of course we couldn't let you sleep in, now could we?" _Another chuckled echoed amongst the smoking trees as the campers rolled their eyes (excluding Dawn, of course)_. "You have exactly twenty-four hours before we blow your mind with our next challenge! Enjoy, campers!_" A thick static erupted through the speakers, along with a healthy glop of toxic goo.

Scott growled as he stared at the wooden boards above him; unlike the other campers, there was no way he was going to be able to go back to sleep. Scott was one of those "can't even get up to go to the bathroom without fully waking up for the day" kind of people. Chris's voice wasn't exactly the best thing to wake up to either, which confirmed that it was going to be a shitty day.

"Sha-yeah!" a voice came from above him, "We get a day off! Time to hit the protein hard and hit the gym even harder!" Loud creaking followed after as the rather beefy football player jumped from his top bunk, shaking the already faulty lighting fixture above them. Lightning bolted out the door faster than his name traveled through the air during a hurricane.

Scott rolled his eyes a second time, his body following shortly after, catching himself right before he hit the edge of the bed. He lifted his head as sent a gaze out the netted window of his cabin door—there she was, just like every other morning, meditating on the boys' porch for some God forsaken reason. It wouldn't get on his nerves so much if it wasn't for the fact that his fellow "bros" had decided to give her permission to leave the light on as late as she pleased, apparently not caring whether it bothered him or not.

"Hello, B!" he heard the blonde say cheerily, taking a break from her humming. "Your aura is so wonderful today! You and I are bound to have a beautiful day!" He could see her soft smile and bright blue eyes in his head, a small part of him enjoying mental image; thankfully, he was able to shove that thought from his head as he sat up and rubbed his unruly red hair.

"Oh, you poor baby, I bet your mama is horribly worried about you," he heard her say soothingly as he let his feet touch the cold, dirt covered floor. He grabbed his pants from the floor and shoved his right foot into it's respective pant leg, letting himself wonder what kind of animal she could be talking to—he was certain it wasn't the bunny, even she was afraid of that beast. He pulled his dirty wife-beater over his head and shook out his feet before using them to support his body.

"Take that, evil vamp two-point-oh!" Sam shouted from the other side of the cabin. "I have all day to defeat you and your army of minions!"

"Why don't you go out there are get some exercise instead of staring at that video game all day," Scott snapped, ready to take his anger out on the world. "It would sure help our team if you didn't suck ass at everything physical."

Sam looked from his game to the redhead, a wash of confusion came over his face. "Dude, I'm just waiting for Dakota to wake up. I'll be out all day helping her get cell service. So, don't worry, I'll be sure to walk up a hill or something."

Scott was a bit taken aback by the kid actually defending himself, but he just brushed it off, figuring he was just tired, not brave. "Whatever, just make sure you don't blow the electricity again." He rolled his eyes for a third time before finally opening the cabin door and making his way out.

"Someone is having an exceptionally bad morning," Dawn said softly as she heard the door creak. "Your aura is a very dark, dark blue today. I hope it lightens for you."

"Shut up," was all he said as he tried to reach the steps, letting the rickety wooden door slam shut behind him. He turned his head as he heard the top hinge break. "Dammit."

"I have a feeling it may get worse," Dawn commented quietly. Her blonde hair began dancing around her pale face, her eyes still closed and legs still crossed—if he hadn't known better, he would have thought she was floating slightly.

"I would be _fine_ if it weren't for you leaving that light on all night. I can't sleep if it looks the like the friggin' sun is paying my cabin a twenty-four hour visit!" He was quick to snap, as usual, but there was a deeper level of mean being thrown Dawn's way. "That and the fact that you hum louder than Mr. Macho snores, it's a wonder I can even think to myself with your band of annoyance playing every night."

Dawn's hands fell from their previous "OK" form and landed palms down on her knees, she turned her head to look up at the boy behind her. "I didn't know it bugged you," she replied, concern in her large, blue eyes. "All you had to do was ask me to turn off the light and try out some silent techniques."

Scott practically smacked himself and he let out a sigh—he wanted to hurt her feelings, not look stupid or gain her pity. "Just tell me why you meditate on our porch and not your own," he said, a loud note of annoyance playing throughout his tone.

Dawn stood up and brushing off the back of her tights, she had dirt trailing from the bottom of her over-sized sweater to the back of her black boots. She gave him a small smile, as if thanking him for asking her, before pointing slightly above the girls' cabin. "The sun rises over there and I like to watch the sunrise," she explained, "it relaxes me better to see the day begin. I meditate noon till sundown on my porch because then I can see the sun go down over your cabin."

Scott scratched his neck, he was starting regret even speaking to her. "That actually makes sense," he said with a defeated sigh, but as he let his head lean down, he caught a glimpse of the black garbage bag she had been carrying around the camp, gathering leftovers and scraps. Unable to keep his mouth shut he asked, "But what about that bag you've been shoving trash into? What the hell is that about?"

"Oh, you mean my souvenir collection?" she asked, her voice oddly happy. "I collect food for the animals, liquid for mother Earth's soil, and other thrown away bits to sell after the competition. You wouldn't believe how much a used tissue goes for on craigslist."

"So," Scott got an odd glimmer in his eye, "you're collecting useless shit so you can make money even you get eliminated? I see."

"Only to give to charities that help my dear Mother Nature," Dawn said, tempted to roll her eyes at his greedy thoughts. "All the money I make goes to help this precious earth."

"That's stupid," Scott scoffed as he made his way toward the old, wooden steps that leaded to the dirt path that divided the two cabins. "You shouldn't waste so much on this stupid planet."

"Mother Nature is not happy with you, Scott," Dawn commented, her tone completely serious. "You really need to think before you insult Her beauty."

Scott turned back to her just before his foot hit the first step. "You're weird, like, bat-shit crazy weird."

Dawn gave him a simple, one shouldered shrug. "I was only trying to warn you before She hurts you further. You already have that mutant shark trying to kill you."

Scott rolled his eyes before turning his back to her and making his way down towards the washrooms. "Whatever, dollface."

Dawn shook her head and let out a sigh. "Please forgive him Mother Earth, for he knows not what he does," she said softly as she closed her eyes and repositioned herself for another hour of meditation.

* * *

It was noon when Scott decided he was hungry enough to force down some Wawanawkwa cuisine. He had already had his shower for the day and had decided it was a good day to go without a shirt—his one and only wife beater stunk so bad that no even he could stand the smell of it any longer. He was absentmindedly cracking his knuckles as he walked into the people-zoo the Mess Hall had become.

Before he could even step into the room Sam and Dakota ran past him, her cell phone held high in the air. Lightning was speed eating a cracked, plastic container of protein powder—which caused Scott to wince, seeing as it had maggots freely crawling throughout it. Jo and Brick were also speed eating, but they were competing, and frankly, no one know what the hell it was they were shoving into their mouths. Silent B was sitting by himself and being, well, silent. Dawn was also there, and despite all the noise and movement, she was sitting calmly and meditating. There was only one thing off about her actions...

"Dawn!" Scott shouted as he tore into the Mess Hall and stomped towards his usual table. "What in the _hell_ are you doing with your ass all over where I eat?" he shouted directly at her, gaining the attention of Silent B, who didn't look too happy about the disruption.

Despite the fact that her face had just been verbally ripped off, she was calm in her answer, not even bothering to open her eyes or let her hands fall from their "OK" figure. "Being elevated helps achieve better peace and harmony."

"I don't care about peace and harmony!" Scott's face was red-hot and his temper was even hotter. "You are on a _reality_ show, I get it! But can't you at least _act_ normal while we're on down time?"

Her eyes opened wide at his statements and her hands fell onto her knees with a thud. "I know you don't mean that," she said as she composed herself. "I can tell from your aura."

Scott rolled his eyes. "I call bullshit on your whole 'psychic, mind reader, spiritualist' persona. I bet you can't even read auras, or tell what anyone is thinking! You're just _faking_ it so you can get on TV and convince everyone to let you win because you will donate the winnings to 'Mother Nature'"—he used air quotes as he shouted this, deeply offending Dawn—"you're sixteen, you care about what we all do, being rich and getting out of our old man's house."

Dawn took a deep breath before lowering her feet onto the bench adjacent to the table, she used to as a step to ease her jump to the ground. She turned on her heel and looked straight into Scott's eyes. "I will ask Mother Earth to forgive you for your injustice, but I am not sure she will comply," she whispered to him before leaving his sight, being sure to grab her trash bag which she had left by the door. Her blonde hair graced her left shoulder as she turned to face the campers one last time before leaving the cafeteria.

Scott let out a frustrated breath, then looked up to see how blind his anger had made him. Every person was staring at him, Jo and Brick had both stopped, food falling grossly onto their laps; Dakota, who had stepped into the Hall when she heard the yelling, had her phone in her hand but wasn't paying it any mind; Silent B was still being silent, however, he was sending the most vicious death glare at the redhead; even Chris was shocked, only being able to breathlessly ask, "Did we... did we get the on camera?"; the intern nearly dropped his camera and could only nod with an open mouth in reply.

"SHA-_DAMN_!" Lightning shouted form his seat. "That was cold, brother!" He shoved another spoonful of powder in his mouth before shaking the spoon and Scott saying, "You better hope she isn't sleeping with the fish tonight, she seemed pretty freakin' hurt."

Scott turned his back to the campers and began walking out, his pace quickening as he heard the slowly return to what they were doing. He knew what he had to do—and he knew he was going to hate doing it—but he to do it. Period.

* * *

Dawn had dropped her trash bag a mile or so back, not really caring about it anymore. Her legs were hugged tightly to her chest as she sat on the Dock of Shame, half wishing the Boat of Losers would come pick her up and drop her off at some island hundred of miles from civilization.

Scott found himself panting hard as he saw the outline of her blonde hair, a surge of relief slammed into his chest as he saw that her head was above water. He wasn't sure if the feeling was from the fact that he didn't want to get on anyone's bad side by killing another contestant or that deep down he cared about her too much to forgive himself for ever letting her hurt herself.

Dawn slowly lifted her head when she heard his heavy breathing, not sure if it was him running to catch her or an intern trying to escape from Chris. Either way, she decided, she wasn't going to turn and look because she didn't really want to see any human. All she needed was the seastar that had been happily suctioned to the small patch of wet sand to her right.

"Hey," Scott breathed out as he stood behind her, "I need to talk to you."

"About what?" the blonde asked, not bothering to look at him, opting for the view of her seastar instead.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," he said with a groan as he rubbed the back of his neck, which had become oddly sore.

"You don't have to apologise," she replied softly, running her finger through the sand. "I can read the regret in your aura..."

Scott shook his head lightly and sat down next to her. "Listen, I know I'm an asshole—and so do you, I bet you can see it in my aura. But I do have some compassion and do realise when I fuck up."

"You have a good soul," she replied. "I can see that. You just want to be tough. Being poor and parent-less can do that to someone..."

"Yeah," was all he said. "You know, I suck at opening up, so I guess it's kinda... cool that you can just read my past."

A small smile danced across her lips, "Thank you..." Her hand moved slowly towards where he was sitting, she let it simply lay palm down beside his thigh. "I only wish Mother Earth had forgiven you..."

"I'm sure She will be okay," the ginger said, not knowing the colour his skin had changed to throughout his shirtless day in the sun. He quickly checked for cameras as well as campers before placing his hand over hers. Not everyone needed to know he was a decent person.

* * *

this was taken down. but it doesn't break any rules. so, yes, I shall put it back up.


End file.
